Cheap, lightweight, cuttable, and highly reflective

July 17, 2020 7:26 AM

I'm crafting a little children's book, and I want one of the pages to be a mirror -- or as close to it as I can reach. I've tried gluing aluminum foil to the page, but it doesn't reflect images very well. Will reflective window paper be mirror-like when stuck onto a page? Is there a better option? (I'm in the UK so it needs to be available here.)

Note that this is just something I'm doing by hand, to give to a couple of people I know. It doesn't need to be something that can be mass produced. The more mirror-like the better... but if it's not a perfect mirror surface, while still being reflective enough to convey the idea of mirror-ness, I'm willing to settle for that.

posted by yankeefog to Media & Arts (15 answers total)

Best answer: In published kids' books we use mylar for this. It's not like looking in the mirror, but it's light, a lot more reflective than foil, and conveys mirror in context.
posted by lampoil at 7:32 AM on July 17, 2020 [8 favorites]

Aluminum HVAC tape, perhaps? The shininess is not terribly durable though.
posted by smcameron at 7:37 AM on July 17, 2020

What about these wall mirror stickers?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:41 AM on July 17, 2020

A craft store may have reflective mylar sheets - easy to cut. You want to look at a place that caters to scrap-bookers. In the US I'd say Michael's but don't know the UK equivalent.
posted by leslies at 7:44 AM on July 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

Seconding a craft supply place that has scrapbooking supplies. If that isn't convenient, I have seen some silver gift bags that are surprisingly reflective, so check out any store that might carry gift wrap.
posted by soelo at 7:59 AM on July 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

I came to say what ManyLeggedCreature did - they are great and if you can't find any in the UK I've got a few spares I can pop one in the post for you.
posted by london explorer girl at 8:02 AM on July 17, 2020

The only big-box hobby store I know of here is Hobbycraft, but searching there for mylar sheets is just bringing up clear acetate; doing a wider internet search, it looks as if reflective mylar is geared towards hydroponics needs here, rather than crafting. Amazon will of course sell you a roll of it.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 8:04 AM on July 17, 2020

Best answer: Try to search for emergency blankets, they are mylar and highly reflective.
posted by mumimor at 8:09 AM on July 17, 2020 [2 favorites]

Search on "mirror vinyl wrap". With a little search, you should be able to find someone selling it in the small and inexpensive amount you need.
posted by SemiSalt at 8:30 AM on July 17, 2020

What about the wrong side of a mylar balloon?
posted by kate4914 at 9:07 AM on July 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

Any store that sells vinyl for cutters (Cricut, Silhouette and the like) should have self-adhesive vinyl sheets. They make metallic and holographic versions.

Not sure about UK availability, but this is the sort of thing I'm talking about.
posted by pixiecrinkle at 9:44 AM on July 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

Car shops sell chrome detailing tape, very reflective, for about $6 a roll. You can also search for "adhesive flexible mirror sheets" on Amazon.
posted by ananci at 9:44 AM on July 17, 2020

Go to your local dollar/party store. They'll have mylar rolls in many colours for making party baskets / giftwrapping etc.
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:31 AM on July 17, 2020 [1 favorite]

If you're feeling terribly lucky you could check out your local stationery shop and see if any of their cool vinyl pencil cases have the reflective finish you need? I use this for doll-size clothing and furnishings, on occasion.
posted by HypotheticalWoman at 6:52 AM on July 19, 2020

Response by poster: I ended up getting mylar emergency blankets, so I marked that as best answer. I appreciate all the suggestions and I've tucked them all away in my mind as alternate possibilities for the future. Thanks, everybody!
posted by yankeefog at 2:49 AM on July 22, 2020